Sound-producing device



Sept. 4. 1923. 1,466,877

L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PHoDuoING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l 27 3f 23 Y II////l//llr/I//ILI Wr '22 36 f3 s l a '1 ,.A

`l l 2H wuantoz a edf'ra sept. 4, 1923.

L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUC ING DEVI CE Filed Dec. 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES LEO J. GRUBMAN, OF NEW YORK. N. Y., ASSIGNOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F NEW YORK,

YORK.

T0 GRUBMAN ENGINEERING & N. Y., A CORIGRATION 0F NEW SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICE.

Application lcd December 28, 1922. Serial No. 609,397.

To all whom my concern.'

lie, it known that I, LEO J. (lnUnMAN, u citizen ot' the United States, and a resident; ot' New York city, county and State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Producing Devices, ot which the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to sound producing devi-fes, and more particularly. to a device ot that type which is in: orporated within the body of a doll for the purpose of simulating an infant cry, such as the exelamations ()h'l Marina" or Ma-ma. `furious devices for the above purpose have heretofore been einployed with more or less success. In most instances, howeier, it has been proposed to utilize a bellows of conventional form. one part o t which carries a sound producing reed. Devices ol' this class are, however, more or less uncertain in their operation, and will not toutr withstand severe shocks and jars incident to abusive handling to which such dolls are not infreouentl)- subjerted. Again, it has been proposed to discard the comentional V type of bellows and in lieu thereof, employ a gravity movable air expelling member mounj'ed within an air receivin; r chamber and connected h v a flexible membrane to the head closing one end of such chamber. In this case, however, the movable member is supported upon a central sound emittinglr tube fixed at its ends and contact between this tube and the part, oi the gravity movable member engaged therewith offers an appreciable trictional resis-tance to the free movement ot' said membei'.

lu my present invention I aim to overcome the above and other objectional features existing: in sound producing devices of this character and to provide such a device which is not only7 of simple constriiction and great durability, but, which will also operate without tail in a very positive manner to produce a realistic simulation 0f the human infant ery. To this end therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, I provide an air receivingr chamber which may be suitablvmounted within the body of a doll.

Within this chamber there is arranged a member freely movable by gravity longtudinally ot the chamber.

AExtending longi- -in other words, is not positively secured in `fixed relation to the chamber walls. Thus while said tube provides means for controlling the expulsion ot' air from said chamber in the gravity movement of the member therein, it does not in any sense serve as a support, tor said member. In my present construction this support is afforded by the body wall of the air chamber. said member having an annular wall slidingrl)v engaged with the chamber Wall. Thus it will be understood that` I dispense altogether with the use of a flexible or collapsible membrane and since such membranes are liable to structural deterioration or disconnection or rupture at their points of attachment to the fixed and movable parts` it will be manifest that I have materially enhanced the durability1 and positive action of devices o 'this nature.

In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, I so construct` the gravity movable member that there is produced a series of spaced relatively fixed parts controlling the emission ot air from the sound producing means and thus determining: the intervals between the emitted sounds in the gravity movement of said member.

YWith thc above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved sound producintlr device for dolls or other toys and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing,r and subsequently incorporated in the. subjoined claims.

In the dravvintr wherein I have disclosed several iractical and satisfactor embodiments ofx the invention and in whlch similar reference characters designate correspondinglr parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 .is a longitudinal section of a sound producing device constructed in accordance 'with my present disclosure;

Figure 2 is an end elevation; y i

Figure. 3 is a horizontalv section taken 011 the line 3,-3 of Figure 1;

' split resilient washer 15 inte Figures 4- ;ind 5 are detail pion views of the nested sound Controlling Sections of the gravity niovahle member;

Figure 6 is a ecrtionol view similar to Figure 1 illustrating en altrrnetive forni of the device; and

Fi re 7 is e horizontal section taken on the lme 7-7 of Figure o.

ln the drawing for purposes of illustra.w tion I have shown the never-il eseenlinl elements of the present invention oesemhled in sfo-operative relation with a, cylindrical or drum shapeii form of the air receiving chamber. It will, however, he :apparent as the description proceeris, that this chamber may assume various,l other forme, shapes or dimensions in order to satisfactorilymoet the parirnier conditions whichv may exif-1t in e specific practical applicationI of the di vire to a doll or other toy figure I may, therefore, refer genen-elly to this; oir rm ceiving ollemhei; herein designated hy the numeral 5. :le heilig ol snllieient internal ilimensions that it possesses the requisite nir capacity for the production and emission of the desired sounds. This chamber muy he conveniently constructed hy n suitable stamping operation from aluminum or other sheet material, and as herein shown, is formed with a oylindriool body woll 6 ausl an integral end well T closing one end of said chamber.

Within the chenille!" fr oir expelling: nignoln 1 i fcrhszeiiel member hnvingxn nutronol external diameter substantially equal to the internal milione-tor of the chamber but. periniting of the free and unretarrled sliding movement of seid member therein. This air expelling; meinher, is preferably constructed in three Sepate sections, of cas ironfeteel or other relatively heavy material. The lo :er Sec-tion il of sziifl member is provicd with a central depressed annular portion. il having e. ccntra-l openii'n;F therein normen-,led oy an n Werdly projectiw bose` or l0. T e lower or heee will of tifo ile-pressed portion l) of anni section is intere!V xtcntled t0 forni an annuler flange 'll l fn which is spaced from the outerY portion l2 of the hottom wall of said section. An annuler rin or gasket 13 of flexible material is engages with the lower face of the portion 12 of the bottom wall and at its outer edge hes sliding;r frictional oontact with the inner sirface of the chamber wall 6 to prevent the escape of air upwardly between said wall and the cylindrical body wall 14 of the section 8. The ring or gasket 13 is held in place bye. osed between the inner edge of said ring' im( the flange 1l.

The depressed portion 9 of the section 8 provides an annular air expansion chamber 16. This chamber at its upper side is pm.'- tilly cloeefl by the section 17 of the gravity gravity movable .ing with the nir expansion ,'lnuniwr 1G of the Section H.

lvihiri the erf-tion 1T. n thirfl ilrction 21 hohl in prlrminrnlljv n iniiifll or nostril relation hy frictionu moellon oi" its longitudinally extending woll. portion 22 with the parallel cylindrical portion il) of the wall of the onction lT. This rortion 2l iS likewiee centr-:illy pri-willed with in opening Surrounded hy sin upefuniling hose or flange 23, the bottom or linee portion of' Seial Sew tion being spared from the corresponding opposed portion of the section 17 und thus providing a second nira expansion chamber 24. The horizontal portion of the section 21 is provided with a plurality of spared apertures 25 which nil'oril nonininnicnlion between the chamber 2l nml :1 third nir' expansion rhmnher whii-h is formed hetween the will of the l`irreali-@n El mail the closure hczul :2T for the onen enel of the ehamher* This heml nml' the secured upon the emi of theholly wll l5 of Suhl rhfmiher in any preferred manner, het ne herein showin Said heeel is provided with on sinnlilar marginal ilange QH engaging the outer surface of the ,wall 6 with close fmfz'tonal Contact. The heed 27 le provifled with a multiplicity of :spaced apertures 29 which all'ord communication between the expan- Sion chamber 26 and the tmoszphere exteriorly of the device and constitute the final emission apex-toire or openings for the sound waves.

The three part gravity movable member above described cooperates with en eir emitu ting means which ig provided with e sound producing reed or other equivalent element. This emission means for the air expelled from the chamber 5 in, the present instance, is illustrated in the form of a tube 30 which is loosely engaged through the central oponings of the three sections 8, 17 an 21 of the air expelling member, said tube being slidiilglv engaged by the flanges i0, 18 and 23 of the respective sections. .Each end of the tube 30 is closed by a suitable plug, the plug 31 in one end of said tube having sliding* contact with the fece of the head 2?, while the plug 32 in the other end of seid tube has sliding contact upon the base wall 7 of the air chamber 5. It, will thus be under- `the chamber 5, as shown in .'18 passes below the orifice from.

stood that this tube is not fixed with respecty to the -wells of the main air chamber. and may. therefore` be aptl)Y referred to as tienting within said chamber. lt will accordingly be understood that this tube does not constitute a support for the gravity movable member, such support beinf r entirely furnished b v the sliding courtingr engagement of the cylindrical Wall portion 14 of the section 8 with the wall (i of the main air chamber.

lVithin one end of the tube 30 adjacent to the closure plug 3Q a sound producing reed 33 is suitably mouned, and contiguous to this reed the wall of t e tube is provided with an air inlet aperture 34. Intermediate ot' its ends` thewall of the tube 3() is also provided with a main air emission orifice or opening 35. herein illustrated as of rectangular form. Adjacent to its other end. the wall of said tube is provided with e second air emission orifice or opening 36 wl1ith,-how ever, is of appreciably less area than the openings 34 or 35.

In the operation of the device as above described, when the doll or other figure toy is inverted or disposed in certain predetermined positions, the air expelling member will move alongr the tube 30 into one end of Figure 1` of the drawing. Wlhen the doll is again returned to upright position. said member moves by gravity in the reverse direction or down Wardly in the chamber 5 and along;r the tube, 30 from the position shown in Figure 1. In this gravity movement of the air expelling: member, the air in the chamber 5 below said member is first, forced through the orifice 34 and passingF through the reed 33 the ex pelled air is converted into sound waves. In theinitinl gravity movement ol" thc expelling member, the expelled air havingr been converted into sound b v the reed 33. first issues through the openingr 35 of the tube 30. emitting a more or less subdued sound lsimun latine* the exclamation Oh! as the flange lo passes said opening. When the opening is closed by fiange 18 of the section 17 of the expelling member, the sound waves issue from the nasal orifice 36, simulating the sounding of the consonant M. As the flange, 35, the sound waves issuingy therefrom simulate the sound of the spoken vowel n, When the. Harige 23 Covers the opening the sound waves again isssue from orifice 343 and the sound of the second consonant M is produced and as this flange 23 passes said openiner the second vowel sound a is emitted there Thus the entire exclamation Obi Mauna will be realistically simulated. As I have disclosed in a Comending companion application Serial No, 609,398. tiled December 28th, 1922, by the elimination of the smaller orifice 36, thereby eliminating the soundingF of the nasal ronsonunt 3l. the tmittfd Sounds nini' iw cnuseil to ,siuiulzili the pronunciation of the word "Pappe".

fcourse. it will be understood that when the sound eztpellinpr member linalh ronics to n position of rest. all of the air has been expelled from the chamber and when ilu` device is again inverted to cause thiA member to move bv gravity in the opposite direction. the air enicrin;r through the openings Qi will immediately pass through the openings 35 and 34 into said rhzxniher and :renin iil the same. Free communica?ion exists heVV tween the several rhamiwrs. lo. 2i and Qii with the exterior atmosphere dui-intr this movement of the member S so that as said member finally comes to a position of resi against the head 2T. there is a final intake ot' air through the opening 35 until this opi-nA in gy is fully closed simultaneously with the termination of such sliding gravity morernent ofthe member 8. Thus the formation of :in v vacuum within the chamber 5 is ohviated and the complete filling ot' said rhumu ber with air is assured so that lhere will he an immediate expulsion of rir from said chamber through the soundingf reed at the start ofthe irrnvitv movement ot the memher 8 from the position shown in Figure 1.

In Figures 6 and 'i of the draining' `l have illustrated an alternative einlaalimcnt of' mv present invention. wherein the enpshaped piston or air expelling member s' is positioned for ,Qrnvitv movement in the air chamber 5' in :i revers." position to the arrangement shown in Fig; l of the draw ine'. In other words. in this construction the open side. of the nir expelling member is downwardly disposed ll'ithin said mcnr ber 8 the annular member 8T is frictionally fitted and is provided with a central tubular boss or extension 38 on its base wall. The annular bod)r wall of the member iii' is formed with an' outwardly projectingr lionne 3Q between which und the edge of the mem ber H a packing ring or gasket itl is disposed, It will be noted that the base wall of thiI member fil' is spaced from the corre- .spondintr wall oi' the member 8' thereby providing the air expansion chamber 4I. (')ni` end ot' the sound producing reed 4L fixed in the wall of the meinlxir 3T extcmls into this chamber.

'lhe member 9' is centrally provided with an opening 43. the lower portion of which is flared or diametricallv enlarged ss at 24. At one side of the opening 43 a recess or Channel 45 is provided which functions as the nasal manner to the orifice previously described.

The sound emission member 413 in this form of the deviceis of' solid cylindrical construction and also is free or unattached at its ends to the head walls of the mein 36 in the construction orifice in a similar" Sti air chamber 5. Adjacent its upper end the member 46 is provided with .spaced annular grooves or recesses 47. This member extends freely through the tubular boss 3S and the opening 43, the air expelling member being unretarded in its free gravity movement in the air chamber. Owing to the floating arrangement of the member 46, the parts will nevertheless properly cooperate and function even though the opening 48 and the tubular boss 38 may not be accurately centered.

In Figure 7 of the drawing I have shown the air expelling member in an intermediate position, or at that point in its movement during which the first vowel al is being sounded. In the initial movement of this member, it will be understood that the opening 43 with the exception of the lateral recess 45, is closed by the end of the member 46 and during such initial movement before the opening 43 arrives .in line with the first of the channels of the recesses 47 the consonant letter M will` be sounded. After sounding the first vowel a, in the further movement of the member 8 and while the part. 48 of the member 46 between the recess 47 thereof is positioned in th ipening 43, the second consonant M is sounded and when the openingr 43 arrives 1n registration with the lower @hanne-Lor groove 4T of the member 46, the final vowel a is sounded. It will thus be apparent that in this alternative arrangement, wherein the reed is carried by the expelling member and the floating member controlling the emission of the sound is of solid construction, the same results as are obtained by the construction first described will be accomplished.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it will be seen that"\I have materially improved devices of this character as heretofore used in the art 'and have provided a gravity operating means primarily controlling the production' of the desired sounds which will be perfectly free and positive in its action. At the Sametime, I have wholly dispensed with the use of the flexible membrane or other parts which may rapidly deteriorate or become easily fractured or broken and thus seriously impair the proper operation of the device if the same is not rendered altogether useless. In other words, by relieving the. central air emission tube of the function of furnishing s. support for the gravity movable air expelling member so that said tube serves merely the purpose of directing-the emission of the air from the main Aair chamber, I have increased the durability/ of such devices to a marked degree resulting in a complete assurancemf the proper functional operation of the device atall times. I have herein referred with more or less particularity to the particular construction of the gravity movable air ex elling member. It is to be understood, liowever, that such structural details are not necessarily essential to the accomplishment of the desired purpose and that my present improvements broadly comprehend a device of this general character wherein the sound emission and producing means is not subjected to a lateral bearing pressure by the gravit movable air expelling member, said mem r being supported solely by the walls of the main air chamber within which it is mounted, and, as a structurally novel feature, anar expelling member composed of a series of nested sound emission controlling sections. In so far asI am aware, to this extent my present improvements are broadly newv in the art, and it is accordingly to be understood that such improvements might well be exem lified in numerous other struc'i tural em diments of an alternative char-f acter, and which I have embraced within the terms and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sound producing device, an air chamber, an air expelling member movable inA said chamber, sound producing' means through which the air is expelled, and a floating member structurally separate from the expelling member .arranged in said chamber with which said expelling member coacts to control the emission of the sounds produced.

2. In a sound producing device, an ail: chamber, an air expellin member movable in said chamber, and u outing sound producing and emitting means arranged in said chamber,-including a member communicating with said chamber to receive the expelled air and with which said expelling member coacts to control the emission of the sounds produced.

3. In a sound producing device, an air chamber, an air expelling member movable in said chamber and having a plurality of air expansion chambers, and a floating sound producing and emitting means arfk ranged in said air chamber end including a tubular orificed part communicating vvlth` said chamber to receive the expelled air an 1 with which said member coacts' to cont the emission of air through said part intatti. the expansion chambers in the movement of K sad member one'ldirection.

4. In a sound producing device,'an a'il.A chamber, an air expelling member movnbggj in said chamber, and a member unattach to the chamber walls and carryin a sound# l ing reed, said latter member and t e air er, peiling member having coacting means controlling the egress of air expelled by said member from said chamber.

5. In a sound producing device, an Aair 13 chamber, an air expellimar member movable in said air chamber and provided with a Series of communicating air expansion cham bers, and a member unattached to the Walla of said air chamber communicating with said chamber to receive the expelled air and carrying a sounding reed. said latter member and the/air expelling member having. eoacting means` controlling the egress of air from said air chamberiuto the respective air expansion chambers of Said expellinzg` member.

6. In a sound producing device, an air chamber. an air 4expelling member mounted for axial movement in said chamber and supported solely by the Walla thereof, a floating Sound producing and emitting means positioned axially of the said cham' ber and said expelling member and including a part with which said membercoacts in its movement in one direction in said chamber to control the character of the Sounds produced.

T. ln a sound producing: device, an air chamber. an air expelling member mounted 'for axial movement in said chamber and Supported solely by the Walls thereof. and an orificed tubular member loosely positioned axially through Suid air expelling;r member and unattarhed to the chamber Wallel and carrying` a sounding reed. said tubular member communicating with the chamber to receive the expelled air Said expelling member having spared parte Sucressively enacting with the orifice, of said tubular member to control the egress of air therethrrmgrh and vary the character of the sounds produced.

S. ln a sound producing' device, an air chamber. an air expelling member having a wall frirtioually engaged with the Wall of said cbambcrbut permitting of gavity axial movement of said member. and a floating Sound producing means arranged in Raid air chamber and including an orifioed tubular member extending axiallyY through the air' expelling member and communicating with the chamber to receive the expelled air. said members having' enactingmenne operative in the movement of Said air expelling member in one direriion to control the emission of air through said tubular member and. thereby vary the character of thi` Sounds produced:

9. lin a Sound producing device. an air rlumber. an air expelling'` member axially movable in said chamber and consitiug' of a plurality of nested sections providing a serie,"` ot' air expansion chambers;` and sound producimr and emitting means arranged in said chamber and communicating t/berewitb to receive #lie expelled air and including a part with which said member eoacts in its morement'in onev direction to 'control the egress of sound through said chamber into the respective air expansion 'chambers in the movement of' said member in one direction. and thereby var xY the character of the Sounds priiidueed.

1l). ln a sound producingP device. an air chamber. an air expelling member axially movable in said chamber and cohabiting' of' a plnralit;K of nested sections providing' interrommiiuieating air expansion rhumbers. one of 'said munieating with the external atmosphere through one end of the main air chamber. and relatively stationary sound producing meam axially extending through said member and including a part with which said member coacts in its mov-ement in one direction to control the emission of air from the, main air chamber into the several air exipansion chambers and thereby vary the cha racter of thc sounds produced.

11. In a sound producing devices an air chamber. :in air expelling member axially movable in said chamber and supported solely by the Walls thereof, said member consisting or' a plurality of nested sections providing inter-communicang air expan-v sion chambers, the main air chamber baving openings in one wallaffording communication between one of the expansion chambers and the external atmosphere, each of Said sectioihl being provided with a central opening, and a tubular oriiced member carryinga sounding reed loosely engaged through uid openings and unattachedito the walls ol. the main air chamber, said member communicating with said chamber to receive tbeexpelled air, said sections sueeeseively enacting with the orifice of the t-ubular member in the movement of said exchamber directly voor pellim;r member in one direction to control the exnisaion or nir therethrough into the Several air expansion chambers and therebiT vary ille character of the sounds produce". l2. ln a sound prolfiucing device. an air chamber. a nmlti-chambered air e,\:p .lline,v member mounted for gravity axial movement in said air chamber, and Sound proA during;r means axially disposed within the air chamber and having a part with which said member reacts in its movement in one direction lo control the emission of air from Said air chamber into the several chambers of said member and thereby vary the character of the eounds produced.

13. ln a1 Sound producing device. an'air chamber, a multi-chambered air expelling member arranged for gravity movement in the air chamber and supported solely by the Walls thereo l. a tubular member loosely extendingr axially through said expelling member and slidably engaged at itsends with the walls of said air chamber. said member conununicating with the chamber to receive the expelled air, a sounding reed carried by said tubular member. and said 130 member having an emission orifice with which spliced parts of the air ex elling member met in the mevement of t e latter member in eue direction be eontrol the emiion nl nir from the tubular member inte the' Seremi elimbers of seid expelling member ariel tlr sary the elieierer of the sounds ps'eril,

14. In a sound prodecing device, un air chamber, a rravity movable member for expeiling eir Yrom 'said chamber having e plu rulity of air expimsen chambers, a sound prudueing reeel -hrough which the air is expelled in the ifravty movement of said member in one recton, and means with which said expelling member coasts to oontrel the emission Vef sound snreessively through the chambers of the expelling member.

l5. ln a sound producing device, mi air chemben d, gravity movable nir exielliug member iu said l'bamlier supported solely bv the walls flierf 3f for boxilily movement witli respect ilierelm und sound producing and eming nieuwe arranged in Said chamber ami ieleeling :in erificed peril with which seid member coects in its gravity mevement dwang re;

mi@ i. me d ranma-'ii emitting member serie ed ellsl Chamber, said expe y 'ber bearing epeeed relaitivelv Ixell peri, eilrmumiiing lie seund emit-ting ienilvr egel wanting with t'ne 0ri flee hereof in elle gravity' l ment 0f the expelling; ziieinlier in ene ilirectleu te control the duraon of the emitted sounds.

l?. In a sound producing device, an air chamber, an air expelling member movable in seid chamber, seund prerluelng Ineens through which the nir is expelled, and a member @leerling eally of Seid air cham; ber 2mal freely xzieveble leierallg llereof with which Simi epelling member muets in its movement in, me diner-tion to control the enlise-imi :if the .eeumls preduce.

ln teetin-,nsiy time 'l claim the fereguing as m5' imvemiwra:` ha re 'rigned my neme hereunder.

LEO J GRUBMAN. 

